Anyway well done to all who participated and to the minority who achieved their promise, you are champs.

Melbourne Cup blitzkrieg

THERE was a Northern Territory truckie of German descent who told anybody who would listen that Protectionist would win the Melbourne Cup, the race which stops our nation.

Most dismissed his tip and he even received some good humoured niggling about why it couldn't.

Most were parochial about an Aussie horse winning but our mate had the last laugh.

Protectionist won at odds of 8-1 and one of his colleagues quipped, "This German horse has blitzkrieged our Cup."

Cleaner centre of attention

A Tasmanian light truck transporting a "people's horse" in a float was the centre of attention.

It carried a wonderful Apple Isle race horse named "The Cleaner" to Melbourne's Moonee Valley racecourse for the famous $3 million Cox Plate on 26 October.

The horse is based at the historical hamlet of Longford near Launceston and left there with a police escort and most of the town including school children waving goodbye.

It travelled to the ocean side town of Devonport and was paraded for the public on the town side banks of the Mersey River.

The horse then was taken to the other side of the Mersey and boarded the 'Spirit of Tasmania" ship bound for Melbourne.

The Cleaner, was the first Tasmanian-trained horse to compete in a Cox Plate, reeled off amazing sectional times at the Longford racecourse, near Launceston, and according to his trainer, Mick Burles, the seven-year-old had never been better.

This well loved horse had not started since winning the Japan Racing Association Cup at Moonee Valley on 26 September but connections were confident the horse relished having his races spaced.

Soon after the race started 'The Cleaner" was caught wide before charging to the lead but had to do plenty of work.

The Cleaner wilted in the straight to miss a place.

But the horse and connections did Tassie proud and the truck which carried it was thrust into the national limelight.

Open door causes alarm

SEVERAL truckies yarning at a large roadhouse were stunned to see an Isuzu which had just fuelled up drive off with its back door open.

Said door flapped and almost hit the rear vision mirrors of some nearby trucks.

One yelled out and the driver of the Isuzu stopped and shut the door before driving off.

The Isuzu was part of a convoy of trucks which had been to various Show events in north Queensland.

It was a positive outcome but somebody could have been hurt.

Truckie toolbox talks

RESTING truckies at the parking area of the giant BP Cluden Roadhouse were surprised to see Queensland Transport officials handing out notices.

It was in late October and the advises were about "Truckie Toolbox Talks" which will occur at the roadhouse on November 27 between 8.15am and 3.45pm.

Transport Inspectors will be there on the day to discuss fatigue (work diaries), mass, dimension, loading, mobile customer services and road safety.

Promises have been made that any transport issues can be discussed.

A note in capital letters at the bottom says that "No enforcement action will be taken against any issues discussed."